Combining at least two vices, aspiring pot merchants will enter a lottery Friday that will clear the way for a lucky 25 to open the province’s first cannabis stores in April. Matt Maurer of our Cannabis Law Group speaks to the Toronto Star about the issues surrounding the lottery process.

He suggests that Ontario might have been better off opening stores with the understanding they may not have any cannabis to sell.

“I think that’s one model and I don’t see anything wrong with that,” says Maurer, who has a cannabis practice at Torkin Manes LLP. “Go ahead and open your stores, we can’t promise you anything, but as soon as the supply crunch is alleviated you’ll have the supplies.”

Maurer says this model would favour deep-pocketed businesses who could better weather supply shortages. He says large, experienced firms can more likely deal efficiently with the heavy regulatory burden on the stores.